Ethan Neutens crowning achievement: Attending LA Kings prospect camp

“I’ve been working for a company in Calgary flying drones”, he told RocketFAN. “I’ve always had an interest in them. I used to buy Dollar Store drones as a kid, fly them around and crash them.”

Employed by Chartis Remote Sensing Solutions, which provides drone services for everything from oil and gas to the agriculture industry, Neutens has been working his way up the ranks over the years, first helping out in the company’s warehouse, often driving a forklift, before eventually piloting a drone of his own.

“The ones we use have ridiculously cool cameras on them, so if I crash one, I will never work again,” he said with a chuckle.

While flying drone planes, Neutens is also on-call during the summer for a concrete company and will lend a helping hand when needed.

Clearly not scared to roll up his sleeves and get to work, the pride of Cochrane, Alberta recently received an invite to the prospects camp of the NHL’s Los Angeles Kings.

“I just got off the ice, and I looked at my phone and I got a message from Glen Murray, the director of player development for the LA Kings,” he said. “I was like, oh crap, I need to call him back and did it right away.”

Neutens credits agent Jim Shepherd (Universal Sports Management Ltd) for spearheading talks with the Kings to bring him to the summer evaluation camp, which turned into a return invitation to rookie camp this fall.

“I think he did a real good job,” Neutens said bluntly about Shepherd’s influence in advising the NHL team of his clients abilities.

Heading down to Los Angeles for the four day camp, held near LAX (Los Angeles International Airport), Neutens was put through the paces.

“I wasn’t nervous. I was ready for the experience,” he said honestly. “I was ready to have fun. Typically, if I had a long wait before camp, I would be nervous, but I had no time for that.

“I thought I did pretty well [over the four-day camp]. The scrimmages and practices, I felt good out there. It felt like I belonged. I really helped my confidence.”

The entire experience seemed surreal for Neutens, especially when he put on an LA Kings practice jersey for the first time.

“When you see your last name on the back of it, it was like – holy crap. They [LA Kings] showed me what it takes to play pro. They try to open your eyes and show you the ropes of what it takes. They did a real good job with qualified staff like Mike Donnelly (former NHLer) helping out. I have to say, all the staff there were top notch. They really know how to take care of you.”

Entering his third full season in the WHL in 2024-2025, Neutens is optimistic about taking his game to the next level.

“I want a much bigger role,” he said after coming off a career season with nine goals, including his first career playoff goal in game three of a second-round series against the Prince George Cougars. “Seeing the coaches rely on me more is huge. It is tougher when you aren’t playing as many minutes, but you don’t complain and just be coachable.”

Neutens is fully aware of the opportunity in front of him, with the team recently releasing forwards Ty Hurley and Will Munro and trading hard hitting forechecker Trae Johnson to the Lethbridge Hurricanes.

“They were all really great guys in the dressing room. It is good for my opportunity, but you have to ask yourself if they are going, who is coming in? You have to be on your toes a little bit.

“I think I have a high ceiling,” he added.

It appears the Kelowna Rockets organization agrees.

by Regan Bartel

Ethan Neutens crowning achievement: Attending LA Kings prospect camp

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